This archive report was first published on 11 May 2020.
On May 11, 2020, Kenya Airways Flight 205 landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, from Mumbai, bringing with it a mix of emotions for Mr. Geoffrey Imathiu.
His wife, Agnes Imathiu, had passed away in India on March 29, 2020, after suffering a stroke while undergoing treatment for stomach cancer.
Mr. Imathiu had traveled to India with his wife in March 2019 for cancer treatment, which was successful. He returned in February 2020 for a second round of treatment, only to find his wife in a coma after suffering a stroke.
With India in lockdown, Mr. Imathiu was unable to return home and had to find a private mortuary to store his wife's body. He hoped to find a cargo plane to bring the body back home, but all factories were shut, and there was nothing to export to Kenya.
During his stay, Mr. Imathiu developed stress and stomach acidity issues, requiring him to visit the hospital. Despite the hardships, he remained determined to bring his wife back home.
Thanks to the government's efforts, Mr. Imathiu was able to travel back to Kenya with his wife's body. He paid Sh177,894 for the body and Sh43,000 for his air ticket.
Upon arrival, he was able to get a permit to travel to Meru County, where he found a mortuary to keep the body, as he plans the decent send-off he worked so hard for.
